As the cost of labour increases, sending a parcel via a regular courier service gets more expensive every year. Many people begrudge paying the increasing price of postage. Although there are now fewer options to send a package to its destination, there are ways to send a parcel for a fraction of the usual price. There are many parcel delivery companies that offer a range of services, but finding the best value for money can be difficult. Here are four main ways to save money on a regular courier service from beginning to end.
Compare Couriers
The first step to saving money on a courier service is to compare couriers. Done manually, this can take hours, but there are online courier comparison websites dedicated to presenting the lowest parcel delivery quote possible.
Comparing couriers is the best way to view the leading regular courier services all in one place, making the selection of a courier much simpler. With just a few moments to input the measurements of the parcel being sent, several quotes will be presented, which makes finding a cheaper parcel delivery alternative far easier.
Use Lightweight Packaging Materials
The main factor that determines the price of parcel delivery is weight, meaning that keeping this to a minimum should be a priority. Lightweight packaging materials can be found in most supermarkets, usually for an affordable price.
Recommended lightweight packaging materials include bubble-wrap and Styrofoam packaging peanuts. These materials offer protection for the parcel contents during transit, yet also help to keep the total weight to an absolute minimum.
Alternatively, newspaper is a popular alternative to buying extra materials. Newspaper or other lightweight paper should be scrunched up to fill gaps between items, using air to minimize weight and help prevent breakage.
Book As Far In Advance As Possible
Most regular courier service transporters offer more than one delivery time option, and this can have a huge impact on the price of parcel delivery. Every courier will offer a standard or economy delivery service, and this may be the best choice for those looking to find parcel delivery at the lowest possible price.
Faster services such as same day or next day delivery are generally much more expensive, because couriers need to work extra hard to deliver the package in the allocated time frame. If possible, all parcels should be sent in advance, as this opens the opportunity for selecting a standard delivery, which will be more affordable compared to specialist services.
Be Accurate With Your Measurements
Saving money on regular courier service could be as simple as ensuring that the parcel’s measurements are entered accurately into the courier website. As weight has the biggest influence on price, purchasing a shipping scale is essential for regular senders.
Good quality scales help ensure the exact parcel weight is recorded on the shipping form. This saves the courier time and prevents errors if the courier is not as careful checking the weight. This also means there will be no pricing surprises later.
Additionally, length, width and height should be accurately measured and entered on the courier’s website, to calculate the sending cost. Ensure that every figure entered into the website is correct. Even a few grams can make a difference in cost, if the parcel is close to the maximum range of a pricing option. Going over the limit will result in a larger delivery fee.
Taking these four steps can reduce the cost of parcel delivery, and each step provides an opportunity to impact the quote that’s created. Regardless of the delivery needs, thanks to the internet, finding a lower cost parcel delivery service has never been easier. Regular courier service is good, but prices do vary a lot.
